TUI asks new government to scrap Schiphol downsizing, night closure plans

Arjan Kers, the CEO of travel company TUI, called on the new government to scrap plans to downsize Schiphol and close the Amsterdam airport at night. According to him, the previous government ignored the aviation sector’s sustainability efforts. “Give us as a sector the opportunity to grow toward the sustainability plans,” Kers asked the new aviation Minister on Sven op 1.

The current plans for Schiphol are to reduce the number of flight movements per year to 400,000 and to close the airport at night. This should reduce emissions and noise pollution. Schiphol has been exceeding the noise standards for years.

TUI and Transavia are the two big airlines that use Schiphol at night. According to Kers, the planned downsizing and night closure mean TUI can make fewer trips. “That has a direct impact on the consumer’s holiday,” he said. Transavia has also spoken out against these plans, saying they’ll significantly increase airfare at the already expensive Schiphol.

Kers acknowledged that many people who live around Schiphol experience noise pollution. But according to him, a night closure won’t solve that. “We often start at five in the morning. If you shift all that to seven or eight, you have an enormous peak that people suffer from even more than the spread we have today. This spread is actually an advantage because there are only a few peak times during the day.”

The TUI CEO urged Infrastructure Minister Barry Madlener to pay closer attention to the aviation sector’s sustainability plans and continue to invest in the new generation of more sustainable aircraft. “There must be understanding for the plans that the sector has presented. We can achieve the objectives in a different way,” he said. “We want to become more sustainable, so help companies to become more sustainable. Don't punish us with new rules that put more pressure on the business community.”